Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

Author's Notes: Thank you for all the reviews and feedback.

Chapter Forty-Five

Christmas dinner was going to be at Tara because of Careen's confinement. As they were packing to go to Tara for Christmas Rhett noticed that while Prissy was packing Scarlett's trunks, she bypassed several lovely dresses that he had never seen Scarlett wear. Rhett asked Prissy, "What is wrong with these dresses?"

Prissy looked at the dresses and quickly looked away and said, "Nothing that I know of, Mr. Rhett. Excuse me." Prissy practically ran out of the room.

Rhett walked to the library and got the book he was reading. He walked back to their bedroom to wait for Scarlett. He couldn't wait to hear this story.

Scarlett came into their room carrying Alex and singing a song. When Scarlett would pause Alex would sing la la la. When she finished singing, she rested her forehead on Alex's forehead and they smiled at each other. Bonnie followed them into the room and Rhett guessed she was singing the same song Scarlett had been singing because the melody was the same and some of the words.

Scarlett squatted down and mother and child started singing again. Alex started screaming la la la whenever they paused to take a breath. Scarlett stood up and twirled around. When she did, she saw Rhett sitting on the settee in their sitting area. Scarlett smiled. Alex squealed. Bonnie cried Papa. Rhett laughed. The trio frowned which made Rhett laugh even harder because when they were frowning, they all three looked exactly the same.

Scarlett put Alex down and said, "Go tickle your father."

Suddenly Rhett was covered with children. There was only two of them but it felt like there was five. He finally got them off of him with a promise of candy. He sent them to find Mammy and get ready for dinner.

Rhett stood up and extended his hand and said, "My dear, I have a question."

Scarlett took his hand and said, "Yes, my love."

They walked to her changing room and he opened the door. He pointed to the brand-new dresses. "Aren't those the dresses you ordered when you were pregnant with Alex?"

"Yes."

"Why have you not worn any of them?"

"When I finally got dressed to go out after six weeks, I hadn't gained any inches. At first, I thought it was because I had been so sick my entire pregnancy but my waist has never gotten any bigger. I am the same size I was after my confinement with Bonnie was over."

"And?"

"I gained an inch with Bonnie but that didn't mean I would gain an inch with every child. Or ever gain another inch. I kicked you out of my bed for nothing."

"My baby. No second guessing. I walked out of our bedroom because I was so insanely jealous instead of listening to what you said and what you wanted," He stroked his finger down her cheek. "Instead of courting you, charming and wooing you, I mocked you and made fun of you. What an idiot I was."

"What an idiot I was not to know that you loved me in spite of what you said. I should have looked at what you did for me and what someone else didn't do."

"No second guessing but we both were idiots. So why have you not had the dresses taken in."

"There a reminder of how stupid I was and to not be that stupid again."

"Have them altered to fit you. No second guessing. We are looking forward not backward."

Rhett and Scarlet and the rest of the household went down the week before Christmas. Suellen had let Scarlett take Ella and George with her to Tara. George was a cute little boy but it was obvious by his behavior that Suellen was doting on him and spoiling him. On the train ride down to Tara Scarlett said to Rhett, "Frank may be too much of a sniveling coward to spoil his child but Suellen isn't. She is spoiling George."

Rhett replied, "Was that how Bonnie behaved last time?"

"Yes."

"I just thought everything she did was cute and adorable. I truly never saw anything wrong with giving her everything she wanted. I truly never saw a reason to tell her no. No matter what you and Mammy said."

"She became a pawn in our war."

"We both used her to hurt the other one. Me probably more than you."

"I let you have her without a fight."

"Maybe because you knew you wouldn't win."

"I should have fought for her anyway."

"Stop! No second guessing. You shouldn't have had to fight to be part of your daughter's life."

Scarlett sadly smiled at Rhett and said, "No second guessing." Then she scooted closer to him and linked her arm in his. He took her hand and held it. That was the most body contact that was proper.

They were quiet for the rest of the trip and just watched Melly interact with the children.

The sleeping arrangements at Tara were dodgy. George was in the crib, Alex was in between his parents, Gerry was in his little bed and all the other children were on the floor. The first night Ella and Bonnie kept talking and giggling. Neither Evie nor Mammy could get the girls to settled down and go to sleep. The girls finally got banished from the nursery into Rhett and Scarlett's room. When the girls laid down on the floor and Rhett blew out the candle they still continued talking and giggling. Rhett then did something Scarlett would never have thought he would ever do.

Rhett lit the candle, got out of the bed and squatted down by the girls. In a stern voice Rhett said, "If y'all do not go to sleep right now you will not like the punishment I have in mind."

With big eyes both girls nodded their heads. They laid down and closed their eyes and went to sleep.

The next morning over breakfast, Scarlett said, "I'm proud of you. I didn't think you had it in you."

Rhett smiled and said, "I was just so tired and ready to go to sleep. I couldn't put up with the giggling anymore."

Scarlett asked Rhett, "What was the punishment you had in mind last night?"

Rhett smiled a sheepish smile, "It was a bluff. You know I couldn't punish Bonnie or Ella."

Scarlett laughed and said, "Fortunately you haven't lost your ability to bluff."

The rest of the week the girls slept on their floor. Well, they started off on the floor. They both moved to the bed sometime in the night. Rhett would wake up being elbowed and kicked throughout the night. Scarlett just slept through it all. Rhett would laugh when he thought, 'This is the same woman who wouldn't sleep with a gas light turned on at all for her child now doesn't even notice when her children are kicking and elbowing her.' Rhett was happy in the change in that woman. Rhett really didn't care about being kicked and elbowed although he would rather not be. All that really mattered was that Scarlett was in the bed with him.

The weather was brisk while still being mild enough for the children to get outside and play. The cotton harvest was over and Will, Gerald and Rhett spent a lot of time playing with the children outside. They played tag and a new game called baseball. Rhett would not let Wade and Beau escape into their books. He kept making them get outside. Will, Gerald and Rhett loaded all the children in the wagon and rode around the plantation one day. Melly, Careen and Scarlett insisted on going also. They pointed out all the sights of interest to the children. The same group drove the children around the county. They stopped at the Tarleton's plantation and Scarlett could tell that her Pa was still smitten with Mrs. Tarleton. When Scarlett looked at Careen, Careen whispered, "Mr. Tarleton is jealous."

Scarlett looked at Mr. Tarleton, who she had always thought of as an easygoing man. He had an annoyed looked on his face. Scarlett and Careen giggled but didn't say anything to the men. Scarlett said to Melly, "Look at Mr. Tarleton. I guess one is never too old to be jealous." Melanie giggled also.

Will was soon driving the wagon away. Scarlett knew Will had seen all. The man didn't miss anything.

They drove by all the plantations even Twelve Oaks and it made Scarlett sad. Sad that they had thrown everything away on a stupid lost cause. She looked at her husband and was glad he had been - hard and greedy and unscrupulous – during the war. She was glad he was no longer that way also. Well, at least he wasn't with her and the people he loved.

On Christmas Eve Scarlett and Careen talked and decided that Mammy should stay at Tara to help her deliver her child. Mammy agreed. Mammy said, "I have been there to deliver all the Robillard babies."

On Christmas day Suellen, Frank, PittyPat, India, and Henry came down from Atlanta on the first train of the day. Everyone behaved as expected. Frank talked about all his ailments. Suellen talked about hard it was to run the store with Frank being sick so much. India talked about how things were so different than they were before the war. PittyPat asked why there weren't any yams on the table. Henry said, "They don't grow down here."

PittyPat said, "I thought they grew everywhere."

Nobody was able to reply.

Soon it was time for Suellen, Frank, India and PittyPat to return to Atlanta. Big Sam took them into Jonesboro in the carriage. When Frank asked Henry, "You aren't returning to Atlanta?"

Henry said, "I am taking the later train. Mr. Butler and I have some things to discuss in regard to the Democratic Party."

"What?"

"How to get rid of the clan in Georgia."

Frank said while looking at Melly, "That is probably a good idea. The clan has done more harm than good."

Melly turned away while he was speaking. She still blamed Frank and Suellen for Ashley's death.

In an hour Big Sam returned with the carriage. Rhett, Scarlett, Melly, Evie, Henry and the children got in the carriage to go to Jonesboro. Scarlett smelled Rhett's breath and gave him a look. He said, "I had to drink to keep your Pa company."

"Weren't Uncle Henry and Will enough company?"

"I am his favorite son-in-law so, of course, he wanted my company also."

Scarlett just laughed. Bonnie was sitting on Rhett's lap and she started to try to get down. She said, "Papa your breath sinks."

Which made Scarlett laughed and say, "I guess she is still a member of the Temperance Movement."

Rhett exchanged Bonnie for Alex. He smiled and said, "Some things never change."

The rest of the trip Rhett engaged the boys in conversation. Rhett made sure to keep Henry involved.

In January of seventy-three Scarlett remarked to Rhett, "All our children's birthdays are within three weeks of each other. We should have planned better."

"Planning didn't have anything to do with it."

Scarlett giggled and leaned over in the bed and kissed him. She said, "Now that I can't get pregnant, I want to have relations all the time."

"I know. It may be too much for this old man."

"Never." And she kissed her husband very thoroughly.

Rhett drew back and said, "I love you so much, Scarlett. I love you more than I ever thought possible."

Scarlett said, "Oh Rhett, I love you too."

They had birthday parties for all their children but they were low-keyed celebrations. They did a little bit more for Alex's birthday party because it was his first but it was still pretty low keyed. They were nothing like the extravagances that Rhett had for Bonnie the last time. Most of the gentry came to the parties. Rhett and Scarlett were still trying not to flaunt their wealth although they did enjoy life's luxuries.

Rhett and Scarlett were pleased with their lives. Scarlett was received and well liked while Rhett was tolerated. Captain Butler was tolerated because he had fought for the Confederacy, his wife clearly loved him and he plainly loved her, Melanie Wilkes adored him, he doted on his children, he had joined the democratic party and he had contributed a large amount of money to that same party and all the dowager's favorite charities. Has hard as it was Rhett went out of his way not to aggravate the gentry. When the people at a social gathering started talking about how great and wonderful the Confederacy was, Rhett would make Scarlett and him leave. He often ranted on how blind the gentry and southerners were.

One night in the carriage on their way home, he said, "They have turned that entire war into a heroic quest. That even though they knew it was a lost cause from the beginning they had to go and fight. Damn stupid fools."

Scarlett replied, "I know you have explained all the reasons the South went to war but I will still never understand why they did."

"To be honest I won't either. It was just arrogance."

"Isn't that what you said that day at the barbeque? That all the South had was cotton, pride and arrogance."

"Yes, I did."

"We thought we were gods."

Rhett smiled sadly and said, "Yes we did"

Scarlett started talking about the children and Rhett's good mood return. Scarlett would always be glad that her husband was smart enough to have taken advantage of the destruction of the South and that was why he was so rich.